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The surprising habits of original thinkers | Adam Grant | TED
@ TED
04/27/16
Takeaways
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Seven years ago, I declined to invest in a company that later became Warby Parker, which sells glasses online and is now valued at over a billion dollars.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Originals are nonconformists who not only have new ideas but also take action to champion them, driving creativity and change in the world.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
I passed on Warby Parker because they were slow to get off the ground, and I realized that procrastination can actually foster creativity.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Research shows that moderate procrastinators are rated as more creative than those who rush to complete tasks early or those who procrastinate excessively.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Procrastination allows time to incubate ideas, leading to unexpected leaps in creativity, as it keeps the task active in the back of your mind.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Many great originals in history, like Leonardo da Vinci and Martin Luther King Jr., were procrastinators, which allowed them to explore diverse ideas and improvise effectively.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Procrastinating can be a vice for productivity but a virtue for creativity, as many originals start quickly but finish slowly, allowing for deeper exploration of ideas.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
The first-mover advantage is mostly a myth; Warby Parker spent time figuring out how to make customers comfortable ordering glasses online, which was crucial for their success. To be original, you don't have to be first; you just have to be different and better.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Original thinkers often feel the same fear and doubt as everyone else, but they manage it differently.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
There are two types of doubt: self-doubt, which is paralyzing, and idea doubt, which is energizing and motivates you to test and refine your ideas.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
The key to being original is to avoid the leap from thinking 'I'm crap' to 'the first few drafts are always crap, and I'm just not there yet.'
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
You can predict job performance and commitment based on the web browser you use; those who choose Firefox or Chrome tend to outperform those who use Internet Explorer or Safari.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Original thinkers are more afraid of failing to try than of failing itself; they understand that inaction leads to greater regrets than actions that don't succeed.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most because they are the ones who try the most.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
To be more original, you need to generate more ideas, as seen with the Warby Parker founders who tested over 2,000 name possibilities before settling on their brand.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Don't count yourself out when you feel fear and doubt; these feelings can be part of the process that leads to success.
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Adam Grant
04/27/16
@ TED
Being original is challenging, but it's the best way to improve the world around us.